Kay Sawyer

I wanted to ask what is your progress.

I have been also looking for an alternative toilet system that doesn't rely on so many browns or purchased inputs. With all that has been learned about EM, I am thinking surely someone has figured this out by now.

There sure be a way to do this without bran, molasses, milk, sawdust, etc.

EM is just lactobacillus, yeast, and purple non-sulfur bacteria.

Homemade recipes are a mixture of kombucha (lab and yeast) and earthworm castings (PNSB), if I am not mistaken.

My problem with this recipe is that kombucha requires added sugar. Sugar doesnt grow here. For me, that makes it unsustainable. I am okay with making Kombucha for comsumption (I make water kefir now), but if anything ever happened to the supply chain, I dont want my sanitation system relying on something that I can no longer buy. (I have the same issues with bran, sawdust, milk, etc)

LAB is everywhere, is it not? If its on rice, then why not other grasses? I have been wondering if grass could be fermented to make LAB for a sanitation system.

Yeast is everywhere. If sourdough starter can be made without added sugar, surely there are more sustainable alternatives to making EM than a system that relies on cane sugar, which isn't grown locally.

So, I don't have a solution, but I am very hopeful that we can find one soon.

I think we will need it. And if we don't come up with something, people will be forced to return to outhouses. Hurricane Helene taught us that. Overnight people went from flushing toilets to digging holes outside.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not opposed to digging a hole. I just think we can do better than the old fashioned outhouse. Maybe something closer to Terra Preta.

I just can't wrap my head around it, but I know this is important. So I hope we can figure this out.

I have read on here about some of you building your riser with perlite clay, even saying it can be reused in a rebuild.

So, that makes me wonder what is the finished perlite clay like, if it can be reused? Does the clay basically get fired to make a cast hard material, like fired bricks? Is it crumbly?@

The reason I  am asking is that I'm wondering if it can be used to make a lightweight brick for a project I'm needing to do. These bricks would be used for a small pit root cellar, maybe 3x3 feet square.

The reason Im interested in using perlite is so that they would be lightweight and therefore more easily moved and reused.

I am glad you have chimed in, Thomas. I have found your contributions here to be very helpful.

So are you saying that if I build a core with your book, it will work for pretty much any bell shape or size?  

Scott Weinberg wrote:
3) I feel that while some of the links  from 5-10 years ago have good ideas, there are always new developments being talked about here,  Most are new for a reason, with ease of building, working better, cost effectiveness and so on.

The amount of tools you need are few, the amount you can learn is great. While there is all kinds of advice, The simplest advice I would give is to build a proven design, with numbers that you can stick with.

Good point. I will keep this in mind

Anne Miller wrote:Hi, Kay, welcome to the forum.

I would love to have a RMH aka rocket Mass Heater.

My problem is with space as I live in a tiny house.  We had bought a wood stove though we found we had no way of safely venting the smoke out as there are several rules about height away from the roof.

A lot of folks here want a RMH though they do not have the skills to build one and their insurance or County/state code do not allow them.

This is the beauty of the Liberator as it is UL approved.

The main skill neede to build a RMH is cob and having a source of the right kind of bricks.

Here are some threads that might help:

https://permies.com/t/89382/RMH-Builders-guide-build-pic

https://permies.com/t/62345/Honestly-easy-build-RMH

Thank you kindly, Anne, for the welcome. I too hope we are fortunate enough to build and buy a RMH soon. And I'm sure these resources will help.

So the Liberator might be oversized for an RV. I consider that a plus, actually. Mass can be added. That means it can be uses in a bigger house. That's a big factor for me since we will probably be moving to something else. I don't want it sized just right for an RV but not work for something bigger.

I hear you, that I might be burning up one minute and freezing the next. I figure that mass can be added even in an RV, when considering that it will mostly be stationary and that floors can be reinforced.

So far, this sounds like it might work.

I am not really interested in a regular stove. Efficiency is priority number one. That's why I'm asking this in the RHM forums.

But I will look into the other RHM stoves suggested here. Do you recommend them because they are sized for a smaller area? Is that the primary reason? Or donyou consider them to be just another possibility?

I have spent a couple of days on this forum trying to orient myself. I am to the point where I am leaning toward buying a Liberator when we can afford one for the purposes of having "portable" heat, but I also want to be able to build one. I think this it is just plain smart these days to know how to build something like this.

I am trying to understand the how and why RMH work, the design options, the various material options with pros and cons, etc

But since the technology has evolved and there are many options,  it is slow going trying to slog through the forums to figure this all out. I found the resources page. I found the digital marketplace. I know there are books and plans available from various people.

Which ones should I start with?

What would you suggest as your favorite resources for a complete newbie to start with? I learn fast, and have some experience building things. But no metal work, like welding.

Thank you, Anne, for answering my first question. I am taking it that you believe the Liberator would provide sufficient heat without the need for extra mass?

I should have been more specific for the second question. I edited my post. We currently do have a Mr Buddy for heat, but I'm looking for something that doesn't rely on purchased fuels.

I am at the beginning of my search for an alternate way to heat our home with RMH.

Can the Liberator be used for an RV that is mostly stationary? Will it provide sufficient heat by itself? Our "RV" is a toy hauler, about 30' long. We are in the Ozarks.

My desire is to have a sufficient source of heat that 1) can move with the camper OR be easily dismantled and reinstalled and 2) be able to use it in anything we may move to, whether a camper, a mobile home, a house, etc.

Assuming the Liberator is an option for my purposes, what other solutions might be possible?